Prevention is the Best Form of Defense

Prevention is the best form of defense, as senseless attacks are becoming more common. With a little thought and preparation you can avoid having to face trouble, but that being said, even with the best laid out plan, attacks can still happen.

Attacks must be dealt with immediately! Showing other people how to use self-defense skills to survive a dangerous or potentially lethal encounter is easier said than done, considering how different training and a real-life attack situation really are.

No matter how much experience you
may have in the dojo, it cannot compare to those occasions when you’re
facing an adversary bent on doing you some serious damage. That being said,
self-defense training can give you that chance you need to survive, and
sometimes that’s the only chance you need.

Martial Arts Plays an Important Part
in Self-Defense

The following show how martial arts
plays an important part in self-defense, and keeping you safe, ultimately,
keeping you alive!

A major difficulty faced by normal
people in violent encounters is that, with few exceptions, the behavior of the
attacker just doesn’t make sense. If you’re walking down a dark street and
someone sticks a gun in your side and demands your cash, you may be surprised. However,
you won’t be confused because you understand the motive of the robber. (In
fact, that very knowledge will probably keep you from walking down that dark
street in the first place.) But what about the guy who’s standing at the corner
beside you, the guy who suddenly whirls and plants a fist in your face?

Senseless Attacks Are Becoming More
Common

It’s unfortunate that unpremeditated – Senseless Attacks Are Becoming More Common – senseless attacks like this are becoming more common. Extreme examples include shootings in schools and workplaces. “The guy just went crazy!” is the usual description after the carnage.

Prevention is the best form of defense. Walking down the dark street, you’re prepared for the potential violence that might logically happen. Standing on the street corner when a nut cuts loose is something you’re not prepared for, however. Nor can you be. You don’t want to live in a state of combat readiness 24 hours a day. It’s not practical, and it isn’t healthy. What you can do is train to eliminate your internal rules that say all aggressive acts must “make sense.”

Don’t be Taken by Surprise Attacks!

The guy on the corner suddenly
attacks. Chances are, you see it coming — at least you’re aware of the oncoming
blow. What slows your physical reaction is your mental reaction: “What’s he
doing this for? Why’s he swinging at me? He must’ve mistaken me for someone
else.”

Thoughts like those immediately form,
and they keep on forming even if you’re still standing after the strike has
connected. They’re perfectly logical. They occur because you’re a reasonable,
rational human being. After it’s all over, they’re appropriate thought
processes. In the midst of a violent encounter, though, they’re useless. You
must learn to short-circuit them, and deal with the situation.

You Must Deal With The Attack Now!

You should adopt the attitude that you must deal with the attack now and worry about its motivations later on. Insisting that an attack “make sense” before you respond can get you seriously injured or killed. There’s nothing much here to argue with, you’re probably saying, but what’s the answer? How do you learn to bypass logic and reasoning and let your body take over? You do it the same way martial artists have always successfully trained to deal with unexpected aggression — through kata.

Of course, the proven method hasn’t
always been called kata. The military calls it basic training. The police use
similar names. But on some important levels, it’s all the same. The routine
goes something like this: Repeat basic movements over and over. Instill them on
a level where they’re nearly instinctive and work without conscious thought.
Practice them in different sequences. Practice them against opponents who
attack in expected ways and then, increasingly, in unexpected ways. Learn them
so thoroughly they’re spontaneous and dependable in any situation.

One of the primary goals of kata
training is to integrate physical movements independent of conscious volition.
It’s not easy, nor is it quickly accomplished. Despite ignorant criticisms of
it by those who’ve never seriously undertaken the process, it’s the most
reliable method for learning how to deal with the kinds of illogical attacks
encountered on the street.

There’s no reason to be ashamed of
being reasonable or of expecting the world to work in a logical way. The
problem crops up when you insist that reality must consist only of reasonable,
logical actions. Sometimes you will run into people who don’t share your view.
At that point, you must use your kata training to deal with them. Their
aggression may not make sense, but your response should.

Prevention
is the best defense

As a kid that played sport, I’m sure you heard a lot was “the best defense is a good offense”. That’s a true statement. Prevention is the best form of defense as the other team can’t score if they don’t have the ball. right?

So how does that relate to guarding
against violence?

Your first line of defense in
protecting yourself starts with your demeanor. If you have a strong, confident
presence about yourself, someone will think twice about approaching you.

So, if you’re in a store or the mall
and you feel like you’re being followed, what will you do? If you do something
as simple as look them right in the eye and ask them for the time, for example
– you’ll shift the balance of power. You’ve now asked something of them, and they’ve
given it to you. It’s simple, and it portrays you as a confident person.

Be prepared to Defend Yourself

What would you do if someone were to
attack you right now? Physical violence isn’t something that most of us
think about on a regular basis. However, it is a reality.

At a Martial Arts class, you’ll
learn how to throw punches and elbows. I personally learned that if you are
attacked, the best thing to do is to bring the attacker as close to you as
possible. This limits their mobility and greatly restricts what they are able
to do. Also, to target vulnerable areas: eyes, nose, fingers and knees.

By learning and regularly practicing
self-defense techniques, you’ll be strong enough both mentally and physically
to do what you need to do to get away and survive an attack.

Bring attention to the
situation

If you are attacked, get the
attention of others by being as loud as you can immediately. Scream “Call
9-1-1” as opposed to “fire” or “help”. What’s the difference? When you tell
someone to dial 9-1-1, it alerts others that you’re in immediate danger and
it’s an emergency. It also gives a stranger direction in what to do.

Yelling “fire” or “help” wastes
valuable time. You’ll have people looking around to see if they can see a fire
or figuring out how to help instead of taking immediate action.

The more attention you can bring to
yourself during an attack, the more likely you will survive it. Remember, your
attacker wants an easy win, not a confrontation. By getting people’s attention,
you’ll get help more quickly, and possibly encourage stop to the violence.

Summary

The main thing to remember in protecting yourself is that you should always be aware of your surroundings. Know where other people are when getting in or out of your car. Don’t be distracted by your phone when you’re out in public – it makes you more vulnerable to a potential attack. Remember, prevention is the best form of defense, as senseless attacks are becoming more common.

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Author: selfdefensespecialist

I`m Nigel Taylor – originally from England – owner of The Backyard Gym in Round Rock Texas. We specialize in personal training, kickboxing cardio and self-defense. With over 25 years experience as a personal trainer, I know what works! From weight loss to bulking up to toning up, I can help you get your desired look and achieve your fitness goals. I can also offer you the privacy of a 100% private personal training studio in which to enjoy and get the most out of your workouts.
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About Me

I`m Nigel Taylor, originally from England, now living in Round Rock Texas. I have been in the fitness industry for over 25 years, specializing in Self-defense and kickboxing, as well as personal training sessions. I like to offer something a little different. Something for everyone is my goal.